Protests against Donald Trump continue across US

Thousands unhappy with president-elect's campaign rhetoric take to the streets of major cities for third straight day.

12 Nov 2016 11:07 GMT

Thousands of protesters have taken their frustration over Donald Trump's presidential election win onto the streets for a third straight night, following previous outbreaks of window-smashing and fire-setting.

Protests swept on Friday across the cities of Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco and Portland - where one protester was shot, voicing anger at Trump's controversial campaign rhetoric about immigrants, Muslims and women.

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The unidentified man was wounded on Portland's Morrison Bridge in the early hours of the morning, as he and other protesters crossed it during a demonstration.

Other small protests were held in Detroit; Minneapolis; Kansas City, Missouri; Olympia, Washington DC; and Iowa City.

In the Portland incident, police said in a statement that a man got out of a vehicle on the bridge where he confronted and then shot a protester, who was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The suspect is still at large, police added.

Earlier in the night, protesters blocked traffic and threw objects at Portland police dressed in riot gear who responded with pepper spray and flash-bang devices. At one point, police pushed protesters back and appeared to take at least one person into custody, according to footage on a local NBC affiliate.

Hundreds joined a so-called Love Rally on Friday afternoon in Washington Square Park in New York City's Manhattan.

There were no reports of violence or arrests at the rallies, unlike on Thursday night when demonstrators in Portland threw objects, damaging new cars at a dealership.

Police there arrested at least 26 people.

Arrests in Los Angeles

In Los Angeles on Thursday night, police arrested about 185 people, mostly for blocking roadways or being juveniles out past curfew, according to police.

One officer was hospitalised for injuries suffered during the protest.

Anti-Trump demonstrators have voiced concerns that his presidency, due to start on January 20, would infringe on Americans' civil and human rights.

They cited his campaign promises to restrict immigration and register Muslims, as well as allegations against the former reality-TV star that he had sexually abused women.

Protesters in various cities have chanted slogans, including "No hate! No fear! Immigrants are welcome here!" and carried signs reading "Impeach Trump".

In Portland, up to 200 people took part in protests on Friday they called Heal-in.

In Tennessee, Vanderbilt University students sang civil rights songs and marched through the campus across a Nashville street, temporarily blocking traffic.

A protest also occurred in Minneapolis.

In Chicago, multiple groups planned protests for Saturday.

Call for unity

Reince Priebus, the Republican National Committee chairman, acknowledged on Friday the tight race with the Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, but said anti-Trump protesters have to accept the election results.

He pointed to Trump's call for unity and meetings on Thursday with President Barack Obama and Republican leaders as reasons for reassurance.

Security barricades now shield some of Trump's most visible properties, including the newly opened Trump International Hotel near the White House and Trump Tower in New York.

Trump's base of support in the election was the broad middle of the country, from the Heartland through the Rust Belt, with voters in states that had long supported Democrats shifting to Trump after he promised to renegotiate trade deals with other countries.

FIELD NOTES FROM RENEE LEWIS IN PORTLAND, OREGON

The Heal-in protests started at 5pm local time on Friday at City Hall, with about 200 people of all age groups, ranging from social justice activists to anarchists, taking part. It was a peaceful gathering. The participants were talking about their reactions to the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's election victory and the way forward for anti-Trump protesters.

At 7pm, dozens of riot police officers announced the authorised march route over the loudspeakers of their official vehicles. By this time, the crowd had nearly doubled. One person walked towards the police vehicles and the police line with a handkerchief over his face and two middle-fingers up. The crowd, hundreds strong, began to shout: "Whose streets? Our streets!", drowning out the police announcements.

The crowd, instead of following the authorised route, began to move towards the police line. The riot police officers deployed and small scuffles broke out as the two sides met. The Heal-in organisers now made an appeal for a peaceful march. The main march moved towards the Burnside Bridge, but a splinter group headed towards a freeway.

A participant at the rally said he wanted the protests to continue. "We all hate Trump. I don't agree with anything he says," Ron said. Another protester, "Jessie", flashed a shield and a handkerchief, saying: "I'm not here to support either Trump or Hillary [Clinton]. I wanted Bernie [Sanders] but people [expletive] that up."

Up to 200 people took part in protests on Friday in Portland [William Gagan/Reuters]